Grizz’s OCD Awesome ASTRO Van 🚙, VW Caddy Van 🚐 Now a Green Toad 206 CC 🐸

[fatharris]

What a fantastic project, and the carport has given me some inspirations for my own area!

[New POD]

I have seen your thread on Mx5nutz 

[grizz]

If I use iMovie music for a soundtrack on a video I post on YouTube, is it free?

Or will the video be pulled from circulation? 

Thank you.

[grizz]

On 1/23/2023 at 12:23 PM, New POD said:

I have seen your thread on Mx5nutz 

I used to contribute to 13, then 11 and eventually now about 8 very different forums.

As long as people read, respond, and help/advise, I am happy to post.

Forums frequented by dickheads I tend to just quickly leave quietly rather than waste my time. 

On 1/23/2023 at 12:06 PM, fatharris said:

What a fantastic project, and the carport has given me some inspirations for my own area!

Thank you.

Yes, the carport was relatively cheap, totally over engineered but turned into a great space to work in, especially in the rain.

On 1/23/2023 at 10:45 AM, dave j said:

I check in on your thread on RR occasionally but it's good to see a brief overview thread here! Looks like it will be great fun to drive.  I love it! 

I wanted to build this for years, and sometimes one just needs to be patient 

It certainly has come to to about 95% of what I visualised, and that, to me, is a brilliant result. 
 

Problem is……….

 I am already here……

 

[grizz]

On 1/23/2023 at 11:30 AM, somewhatfoolish said:

Nice, fast work as well; I'd be fitting taller tyres than that but life would be boring if we all liked the same things. Are you slinging chainblocks etc off your carport frame or do you just like things a bit too strong? I now need to build a carport.

Thank you mate.

 Well, a lot of people challenge me about the wheels, height etc, but what I have built, and wanted all along was actually one of these below.

A tribute to the Filipino “Owner Type” jeeps.

Pics below. 

Are you slinging chainblocks etc off your carport frame or do you just like things a bit too strong?

 I do have a block and tackle that will pull 500kg, 

So the MX5 engine and gearbox was a doddle, as was the original jeep etc. 

I do prefer over engineered to “Oh Shit” and the engineer who I had to make the frame up for me, has told my local builder that I have the strongest carport in the Medway. We also have winds mostly the rear, hence the slope, but if it came from the front, I would prefer it all to stay put, as it becomes a huge windsock the way it is enclosed on 3 sides.

 

 

[grizz]

On 1/23/2023 at 11:30 AM, somewhatfoolish said:

Nice, fast work as well; I'd be fitting taller tyres than that but life would be boring if we all liked the same things. Are you slinging chainblocks etc off your carport frame or do you just like things a bit too strong? I now need to build a carport.

PS.

 

 

[grizz]

I may have slipped up.

The ultimate turd for polishing may have been acquired. 
 

My YouTube channel and blog at grizzmakes.com will have its first dedicated story.

But need to complete current build first. 

[grizz]

£250.00 turd.

Became one of my alltime favourites.

1400cc petrol manual, low miles, not a straight panel, full length working sunroof.

a set of cheap VTR alloys, painted black, and a full set of NASCAR stickers, a Chevy badge or two and perplexed many.

 

[grizz]

Blacked out 70% side glass, 

rear silencer replaced £32.00 and 30 minutes to replace, along with rear brake bias spring. 

 

 

[somewhatfoolish]

Liking the popemobile; are you running for mayor somewhere? You can have a parade when you win and stand with your noggin sticking out of the roof.

[grizz]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:45 PM, somewhatfoolish said:

Liking the popemobile; are you running for mayor somewhere? You can have a parade when you win and stand with your noggin sticking out of the roof.

I think the sheer size of the roof made me smile.  
 

needed a pic for perspective. 

[grizz]

Mickey the neighbor came knocking at 9.00pm He had received a courier parcel on my behalf. 

Contents was one Vauxhall Nova sedan rear light  

What an amazing bit of human kindness from the @JMotor who gave and couriered it to me, asking only for a donation to a charity. 
I let home choose between the 4 that I support and he chose Help for Heroes. 

Have I mentioned that life is good. 
 

The next Turd to be polished is coming together in the background. 
 

[JMotor]

No problem 👍.

Glad it got to you safe. Plus it's one less part taking up space in my bit too! 😆

[grizz]

So 16 months ago, this is what was delivered onto my driveway in week 2 of September 2021

Time has flown I guess.

So late afternoon yesterday after getting back from shops and various jobs, Sally and I were able to start on looking at, and cleaning the Piggy.

She continues to surprise me, this girl, getting straight in and on with the job of cleaning up. Sally that is. 

By the time I came out the house after doing some work stuff that needed to be dealt with, this is what I found. 

Sally had unpacked everything of value. 

Dubious as it may be, some parts were still useable, even if just as templates. 

 

And the back of it looking like this

[URL=https://app.photobucket.com/u/niknakpix/a/8930f323-3efd-469e-9d29-ea039d8e694b/p/9643fdb2-c57e-4fc8-8773-c23a6750583b][IMG]https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/mm90/niknakpix/520932EF_C419_4A92_B2D4_EC9005072EB1_0e9fa6da_6b4c_44ff_bb6f_7a5384a33f70.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Good help is really hard to find.

So my helper hates a photo, no matter why.

Still, I fooled her.

[URL=https://app.photobucket.com/u/niknakpix/a/8930f323-3efd-469e-9d29-ea039d8e694b/p/238b24d8-d8ea-46a4-97a5-ff085aaf9f60][IMG]https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/mm90/niknakpix/BE718CC5_997B_4AB8_8601_135DD6775B7D_IMG_5937.HEIC[/IMG][/URL]

The plywood dash and its vinyl, along with the once expensive instruments were well beyond salvageable.

Previously identified as Cortina Crusader.

[URL=https://app.photobucket.com/u/niknakpix/a/8930f323-3efd-469e-9d29-ea039d8e694b/p/8eda8925-39c8-4607-8d4b-21e30b9706b7][IMG]https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/mm90/niknakpix/8C8BEDED_42F1_4BBD_B09F_67B93CA79A23_IMG_6800.HEIC[/IMG][/URL]

So things were removed, fibreglass trimmed back to a point where I could restart and add the MX5 parts, but also reduce the amount of useless clutter. 

Much cleaning and clearing later, it looked like this. The bits left in place were to act as cutting templates later.

[URL=https://app.photobucket.com/u/niknakpix/a/8930f323-3efd-469e-9d29-ea039d8e694b/p/3982547a-990d-4404-b3ba-a3ebe15dd077][IMG]https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/mm90/niknakpix/25FA57A9_ADBB_4D14_81D0_C8D5DB05EEC8_IMG_5971.HEIC[/IMG][/URL]

Yesterday I managed to almost go full circle. 

Creating this look……..

https://youtu.be/pqMyHr8tdl0

And ending up here.

[URL=https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/mm90/niknakpix/6A4780E4-8037-4132-9833-4E6F29CBEA27.jpeg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds][IMG]https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/mm90/niknakpix/6A4780E4-8037-4132-9833-4E6F29CBEA27.jpeg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds[/IMG][/URL]

So…..

Today….. I am doing nothing, this chest infection is making me feel a bit rubbish. 

YouTube and Netflix it is then. 
 

[grizz]

 

[grizz]

Just posted a regurgitated version on the Blog of the BBQ that I built 10 plus years ago.

Covid is not allowing me to do anything physical right now, so a revisit to an old build may work for some of us.

https://www.grizzmakes.com/2023/02/building-braai-or-call-it-bbq-if-you.html

Enjoy, regardless.

The revisit made me smile, and realise how old and chubby I have become.

Later, coffee time I guess, and ginger nuts. 

[grizz]

MOT passed yesterday. 
 

 

[louiepj]

That is fantastic!!!
I love the Stilson placement.

[grizz]

39 minutes ago, louiepj said:

That is fantastic!!!
I love the Stilson placement.

That and the toolbox are there for dramaric effect. 
The toolbx is bolted down and contains the fuel filler neck and cap. 

[stuboy]

what is the stilsons for?

[grizz]

[grizz]

19 hours ago, stuboy said:

what is the stilsons for?

Just a bit of fun. 
 

Male people do a double take. 

[mk2_craig]

Well done Grizz!! 
 

I’ve just found one of those Halfords toolboxes in my garage, complete with about 18 different half inch spannas inside for some reason. 

[grizz]

20 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

Well done Grizz!! 
 

I’ve just found one of those Halfords toolboxes in my garage, complete with about 18 different half inch spannas inside for some reason. 

Thank you. 
 

I have/had another down at thr garage. 
weirdly I like them. 
 

Checked out the tax online for the car. £295……. That’s a lot of money. If you add £110.00 insurance, £202.00 recovery service and £50.00 MOT test, getting on the road is not cheap.  

Still, the more you drive, the cheaper it gets. 

 

 

[grizz]

As a follow on to this amazing team effort build……

New for 2023 GRIZZMAKES build here. 

Link: https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/224293/grizzmakes-2023-mega-build-acquired

Click and laugh to your hearts content. 

. 

[grizz]

Newest Turd has landed. 
 

yup 

it is real

 

[grizz]

Amazing how bad this all is. 
 

[grizz]

PS. 
 

a load of videos on my channel 

[mk2_craig]

On 4/2/2023 at 10:16 PM, grizz said:

Amazing how bad this all is. 
 

That has just brought back some bad memories of a period regularly driving Dennis Trident buses of circa 2000 vintage with that same multi function stalk. Not comfortable on the hand in constant all day use, and on one vehicle I once had to radio in for a changeover bus to be sent out because the stalk loosened to the extent that it kept flashing main beam (in the middle of the day).

[lesapandre]

On 4/2/2023 at 10:16 PM, grizz said:

Amazing how bad this all is. 
 

Citroen Visa/C15 instrument binnacle you have there.